Automobile top pad



Sept. 10, 1929. G. E. )NIN-r; AUTQMOBILEWTQP PAD.

Filed Feb. 8. 1928 2 SheetsfSheet ATTORNEY.

Sepf. 10, 1929. I G. E. wlNTz 1,728,093

AUTOIIOBILE TOP PAD Filed Feb. 8, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 z Jjw 6 7 lNvENToR G EZ M/ 'mi @CSX/(19e 1, 5

ATTORNEY 25 they longitudinal spring frames,` x f Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

y f UNITED *STA rss P AT f f GEORGE n WINTZ, ori/NEW YORK, N. Y.'

AUTOMOBILE Tor PAID. x

`Application mea reame@ s, 1928.. seriai Nd, 252,833 y This invention relates ytoy improvements in automobile tops,"and kit consistsy `inthe constructions, combinations and c arrangements herein described and claimed.I 7

An objectief the invention `isy to provide a pad either suitably incorporatedinthe top of an; automobile as j originally ,constructed, or capable of incorporation fin tops already built', forfthe `purpose of preventing injury to the heads of occupants of the automobile Whenfthe latteris subjected to sudden jolts.y j V, l j, j

Other objects and advantages appearyin the followingwspeciiication reference `being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 isa longitudinal section of the interior of an automobile to illustrate-the application ofthe pad to 'the top, t

Figure 2 1s a cross section taken on the 2-2 of Figure l, c f ci Figure 3 is a detail crosssection illustrating a slightfmodification later referred to, ,l

Figure 4 isa perspective view yof one'of line Figure 5 is a longitudinal section ofan automobile top illustrating a modified `form of pad, l Y l, e 5 ny Figure 6 isa longitudinal section illus- O tratingan/adaptation of the `pad tof an automobile top having `longitudinal bows,

Figure 7 is a cross sectionftaken on the line 7-7 of Figurev, j

Figure 8 isa longitudinal section illustratingr a modiiied form offpad adaptable to the bowsof open-car tops,` f f Figure 9 is" a i detail sectional view'kfof y'a part of the construction in 'Figure` Figure lO is? adetail perspective vieiv'of the pad and )clip` illustrated/in' Figures 8 It is/not an uncommon experience`ior the passengers of a motor `vehicle to become the surprised recipients of more or less severe i blows about their heads in case the driver fails to avoid a bad place in the road and thus subjects the vehicle to a severe jolt. Injuries received under such circumstances are obviously not confined to the heads of the passengers but may easily cause perma- In anyy casek rthe is badenough, and inasmuch gas badkplaces in the road as Well', `fas not as turally mobile the latter end it automobile topy l with a .padding 2. i Although the application discloses anumber of modifications ,the foregoing-numerals apply to padding jare concerned.

Which in Figures l*l yas -of ksponge rubber,

each instance Wherefthe 019 and y The padding 2,

kand@ 7 may; beregarded cotton batting or other similar and Lsuitable material, is appropriately` 'attached to and coil springs 5l y fthe' Webs 3; (Fig 4) of ,springl frames l that y include Lbase 'bars` 4 fabric cover 6 conceals theyy pad and ,its-appendages;

.4 It may her'elbeexplained that 'structure-maybeincorporated in the automobile ,top during ythe original building thereof ory they pad structure ymay be incorporated in tops already in use. In thelatlter instance)'thei'customary fabric cover or interior lining of yolosedcars isgsimply lremoved long enough to j* permit the installation j'k of the padwhereupon sucht cover is replaced. There is no.

difference in the appearanceof the1ultimate'result.- f "Depressions 'fin the base bars 4iL receive the cross bows. 8 of" the top in Figure l.

.Bret-he base :bars extend of the' top(y 'Iheffront longitudinally `and rear i extremities of the base bars arebent downwardlyand inwardly at` 49 and j' l0 to provide` supports to," yvvhich `the extremities of the 1 Webs Byare attached;y These r;Webs n may be composed either of yfa'bri c or Vmeta l, ybut in any instance nent y'damage to the head gearof such passengers.

:uit pad mustbe suiiiciently,yieldabley notL to ,defeatA the` cushioning y eli/'ect ofy thef` carried pad.

The; lends ofthe springs' f5 areattached to the web [3 kandbase ba Figure 3 illustrates a modification tothe entent `that;the)l yrelatively f long/base bars tlf Figure f1; er@ read el in sections that are individually attached as at 12 at the adjoining ends to a cross bow 8. The void that would otherwise occur between the down turned vportions 9, the under surface `instance takes the place' of the lcealsl the pad.

of the Icross bow 8 and the under surface of the pad 2 is preferablyA filled with an insert '14v of. sponge rubber or other appropriate filling material. n

Adjacent ends of the webs 3 that 'are also now made in sections are attached to the inturned portions of the bars 4 as shown. The securing means 15 at these points pass through the pad 2 and may also be made to pass through the interiorcover 6 in cases of original construction. It is to beobserved in Figures 1 and 4 that the resilient elements immediately under the cross bows comp'rise -a series of short coiledVv springs. Figure 5 illustrates a modification 'where'- in the pad 2 abuts a lining'l vwhich in this webs 3. This lining may be composed of a sheet of sutilciently strong fabric' that completely covers the pad on the top side. 4It is conceivable that the lining maybe composed of crossed Webs. Itis equally possible to make the lining of thin and yielding sheet metal. j v

In any'case allowance must be made for the cross bows 8; In the instance of a fab'- ric lining both the latter and the pad will readily conform to the cross bowswhen applied thereto, the depression forthe cross bows forming of its own accord. In the case of. a metallic lining theA depressions must be formed.- ,'Ihe interior cover con- Figures 6 and 7 differ from the first form of the invention in Figures 1, 2 and 4 mainly by the fact that the base bars 4 eX- 'tend crosswisev ofthe top 1 ratherl than lengthwise. The depressions 7 as well as down' and inwardly turned ends 9 and 10, are to benoted. The web 3 (Fig. 7) eX- tends slightly beyond the down turnedends 9, which it may easily bel made to do in case it is composed of metal, givingthe added advantage of a full padding surface on the inside of thevehicle. yThe purpose of the crosswise arrangement ofthe spring frames in Figures (i and 7. isto oifer a variation as well as to provide for `automobile tops having longitudinal bows l17 The foregoing applications of the inventions relate toclosed automobiles. Figures 8, 9 and 10 make provision'for' open cars and Vdivisional application ,Ht-311,091 Y `has been filed on Oct. 8, 1928 for this modication. The pad 2, now of an essentially different Construction, is lcarried by a spring clip 18. This clip' is of. substantial U- shape. It is intendedy to'be fitted upon a cross bow 8 and there securedbymeans 19. It seems possible to make the clip'18 of sufciently strong resilient materialto cause yscope of the claims.

cle top as may seein desirable. In Figures 8,19 and 10 the yieldable support comprises the U-clip18 which byV preference is made Vof sufficiently resilient material to ermita slight collapse when struck a blow rom the underside.

It is readily seen that Va person bounding from his seat under the impetus of a vsufficiently rsevere jolt of ythe 'vehicle will be protected from linjury to his head when striking the softly padded top. The dan-,

ger points exist along ythe bows 8. andthese points, as plainly seen, are protected. with a care equal to that of any other point over the padded area.

NVhile the construction and arrangement `of the improved top pad is that of generally preferred forms, obviously further vmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventionorthe 1. The combination of a vehicle having a top with an interior cover and a. bow, a. pad concealed above the cover, base bars located within the top and being shaped to ,l

conform .to the bow the ends of the bars being bent, yieldingwebs spanning the bars and being secured to the bent ends, and resilient Imeans vinterposed between the bars and Webs some of said resilientmeans being located in the region of the bow.

2.y In combination with a top including a bow and a cover, a pad concealed by the cover, resilient means coacting with the pad, base bar sections including webs by which the yresilient. means are carried, adjoining ends of the sections being attached to the bow and extending beyond a side thereof, and an insert located between the bow, ends of the sections and padding.

Signed at Washington, D. C., this 3rd day of February 1928. Y Y GEORGE E. WINTZ. 

